Device for reversing cigarettes



Jan. 6, 1931. P. GoTTcHALK 1,787,901

n m {I 5 u 1 23 Jaye/220a 78@ P214! Gog/w k w aiior/zey Jan. 6 1931.- P. GOT'TSCHALK 3 DEVICE FOR REVERSING GIGARETTES "Filed March 21, 1929 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 I1 e g/a4 @143 Maw Jan. 6, 1931. P. GOTTSCHALK 1,737,901

- DEVICE FOR REVER'SING CIGARETTES Filed March 21. 1929 4 Sheets-Sheet s Ill Jan. 6, 1931. P. GOTTSCHALK 1,737,901

DEVICE FOR- REVERSING GIGARETTES Filed March 21 1929 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 7 .70 V90 for."

Pau'z off/chalk- (neg.

Patented Jan. 6, 1931 burrs" STATES,

PATENT OFFICE PAUL GOT'I'SCI-IALK, or nnnsnnn, GERMANY, Assrenon'ro UNITED CIGARETTE MA- CHINE COMPANY AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT, or nnnsnnn, GERMANY DEVICE FOR REVE RSING GIGABET'IES Application filed March 21, 1929, Serial No.

- With respect to devices for the mechanical packing up of cigarettes and similarly shaped articles of manufacture it has already been proposed to insert into the path from the cigarette machine or the like and the packing device a portion of a certain length permitting the operator to watch the cigarettes etc. and to'reverse them by hand if they should lie the wrong way. This procedure is, however, circumstantial and consumes much time.

The object of the present invention is to substitute mechanical operation for that manual operation, andifor this purpose I provide at the device. feeding the cigarettes etc. into the packing up machine an adjustable abutment member which contacts, when in its operative position, with the upper or the lower edge of the obliquely located cigarettes etc. which are moved along in a correspondingly arranged guide way, the arrangement beingsuchthat when the feed-' ing device is moved the respective cigarettes are turned at that edge which contacts with, and is retained by, said abutment member. This latter is preferably arranged between the two known conveying chains and is actuated manually by the medium of a grip, a push button or the like. A locking device may be provided for retaining the'abutment member in its operative position, and that locking device'can be released automatically when the feeding device is actuated, the abutment member returning then into its position of rest in which 'it is inoperative.'- It is suited to the purpose to providea plurality of abutment members so that a corresponding number of cigarettes etc. can be turned, if necessary. a p

The abutment member or members can be actuated also electrically, that is to say,the grip or other manually operable member 'actuates said member or members not directly, but indirectly by any suitable electric or electrically controlled transmission means.

This means may be designed, for instance, in this way that by depressing a push-button an electric circuit is closed into whichan electromagnet is inserted, this magnet being attached to a carrier located in theproximity 348,854, and in Germany March 24, 1928.

of the reversing device and operating an armature which is shiftable upon said carrier and acts upon the reversing device when being moved past it.

Thereare cases in which it may be suited to the purpose to make use of a feeler or feeling armor lever which co-operates with the same of the cigarette that lies the wrong way; or a photo cell or the like may beused by which an electric circuit into which the reversing device is inserted can be closed and opened, as required. In cases like these the reversing device is controlled, preferably, in this way that when said circuit is closed or opened a pawl is released and is moved into a position in which it gets into the path of a plurality of abutment pins or the like located in a rotatory disk or drum, said pawl shifting then the nearest pin-into a position in which it can operate the reversing device proper, all after.

The invention is illustrated diagrammati cally and by way of example on the accompanying drawing on which Fig. 1 is a sideview of a part of a cigarette conveying device combined with'areversing device designed according to this invention, this device being shown in operative position. Figure 2 is a plan of'these parts. Figure 3 is a front view of the parts shown in Fig. 1, seen from the right to the left. Figures 4a, 4?), 4c and id show one of the upper parts on the left of Fig. 1, the cigarette being shown in four positlons. Figures 5a, 5b and 50, are s1m1lar representations showing a modification. Figure dis a view similar to Fig. 1 and'shows another constructional form of the means for turning the cigarette. Figure is a frontview of the members on the right of Fig. 6,

some of these members being shown in an other position. Figure 8 shows another constructional, formwhich is electrically oper-,

as more fully described herein- Fig. 11. Finally, Figure 13 is a parts shown in Fig. 12.

The cigarettes are fed forward by means of a conveying device formed in the example shown by two uniformly moved chains con sisting of linksl connected with each other by eyes 2. The links 1 are provided with recesses 3 for the reception of the cigarettes 4: which are supported therein in an oblique position, which is that position in which they are introduced into the packing boxes. At the plan of the lower end of each recess 3 is an abutment 5 ez rtends between the two chains.

by which the cigarette is retained in its oblique position.

Between the two chains an upright abut ment platei6 is provided, and is guided vertically, for instance by slots .7 and 8 and by pins 9 and 10 engaging these slots, these pins extending forth from stationary parts of the frame of the device] The lower edge of theplate 6 rests upon another vertically movable'plate 11 and is held in contact with it by a helical spring 12.v The plate 11 is also guided. by slots 13 and 14 and by pins 15' and 16 also projecting forth from stationary parts of the device; it bears with its lowerend upon an arm of a double-armed lever 17, theother arm of which is provided with-a button 18 by which the lever can be turned.

The plate 6 is also-provided with a recess .19 which is engaged by. a horizontal guided v the knob 18 as soon as that cigarette has arrived before the abutment plate 6, whereby the plate 11 is lifted into the position, shown in Fig. 1, so that the upper end of said plate Simultaneously therewith the arm 25 of the plate 11 has come into contact'with the arm 24 which is connected with the arm 23, whereby the pm 20 is shifted in the direction to the plate 6 so as to engage the recess 19 thereof, all these parts being then in the position shown in Fig. 1. If now the knob 18 is released the plate 11 and the arm 25 move back into their former position, whereas the upper parts remain in their upper position. This is due to the fact, that a pin 26 provided at the free end of the arm 24 has engaged one of two bores 27 provided in the neighbouring part of the frame of the device. In Fig. lthe pin 26.

has engaged the upper of said holes, whereby shown in Fig. 4b. 7 While now the chain proceeds in its path, thecigarette is retained by the plate 6, as in Fig. 40, but instantly thereafterthe cigarette turns over to its other side, as in. Fig. 4d,.so' that it is now in the inverse position relatively to Fig. la. Immediately thereafter the plate6 is automatically moved back into. its lower. or lowermost position. b

.The links: 1 of one of the chains are provided withinwardly directed pins 28, the position of which with respect to the lever 23is such that any-of them can contact with the upper end ofsaid lever when this is inupright position, asin Fig; 1. Therespective pin turns then the lever 23 clownwardly, and with it the arm 24 is turned so that the pin 26 leaves the upper bore 27 and engages finally the lower bore so that the parts are then in theirposition of rest in which they remain until the knob 18 is operated another time. p g

In the constructional form described the abutment plate 6 is moved upwardly when it is moved from its position of rest into its operative position, but also the reverse can take place, as is shown in, the modification Figs. 5a-5c. In this modification-the chain links 29 are longer than in the. first-described case and each of them is provided with two oppositelylocated recesses 30 and 30a, between which is av projection 31, by which the recesses are separated from one another. In Fig. 5a itis assumed thatthe cigarette is in the wrong position and must be reversed. As the operator has detected this necessity in pro-per time he has actuated the. knob 18 (Fig. 3), whereby the abutment member 6a has been so much lowered as to form an obstacle for the cigarette. Thislatter is now turned from the position, Fig. 5a, into-the position Fig. 5b and is now thrown over from'the recess 30a into the. recess 30, it being understood that the chain is moving in the direction indicated by the arrow. In Fig. 5c the cigarette lies in proper position in the recess 30.

It is suited to the purpose of the device to provide more than one of the reversing devices shown inFigs. 1,2 and 3, at least two of them. 1 Itmust be borne in mind that the operator overlooks, perhaps, a cigarette lying in the wrong way. If there are tworeversing devices he may then actuate the second thereof in order to inverse that cigarette now. It is also possible that the operator turns by inadvertence a cigarette which is in its 1 be turned into one or the other of two positions. In Fig. 6 the position of the eccentric 32 is such that the member 35, the upper portion of which forms the abutment plate 6, is in its upper position in which said plate 6 is in its operative position and can act in the manneridescribed with respect to the Figs. 4a,40. In the other position of the arm '34 and the eccentric 33 the members and 6 The two positions of the parts 32 and 34 are determined by two abutment pins located lefthand and righthand from the eccentric, as shown in Fig. 6. If the machine is provided with this device, the operator must be more attentive than in the other case- (Figs. 13) because the plate 6 is not returned automatically into its position of rest but must be moved thereintomanually by means of the arm 34.

Instead of transmitting the motion of the operating member to the abutment plate 6 or any other appropriate abutment member mechanically as in Figs. 1-7, the respective abutment member may be controlled electrically. In such a case it is not requisite that.

the respective abutment member and the operating member lie so closely together as in the abovedescribed constructional forms. The operating member may be located more or less remote from the abutment member.

In the case of electric transmission it is suited to the purpose to delay the transmission in such a manner that the abutment member appears in front of the respective cigarette only just prior to the cigarette arriving at said member. A constructional form de. signed in this manner is illustrated in Figs. 8-10. In the right-hand lower corner of Fig. 8 there are eight keys 18 18 13 which are inserted into conducting wires 35 35 35 in such a manner that the circuits, of which said wires form parts, are closed when the keys are depressed. All keys are connected on one side with one pole of a battery 36a, the other pole of which is connected with a conducting wire 35. Each of the wires 35 35 35 is connected with aroll 37 consisting of a conducting material. In stead of these rolls sliding contacts may be used. There are thuseight'rolls or eight sliding contacts and each thereof is in contact with a conducting ring 38 provided upon a disk 36 which is common to them all and rotated by any desired means. The disk 36 is provided with a plurality of bores located parallel to the'axisof the disk and in each bore is housed an electro-magnet 39. There are in theexample shown in Fig. 8 three times more electro-magnets than there are keys, that is'to say, there are 24 electro-magnets and in order to have alsoa like number 0]": conducting members 38 upon the drum 36, each ring 38 issubdivided into three parts. Each electromagnet is connected with one of the circularly curved members 38 by a wire 40.

There are, besides the disk 36, two more disks 41 and 42, and all three disks are iirmly connected with one another. The diameter of the disks 36 and 42 is preferably the same, but the diameter 01" the disk 4i is somewhat smaller, and this. disk, which is located between thetwo o-ther ones isprovided on its circumferential surface with a conducting covering 43 connected by short wires withall electromagnets,the windings of these latter being thus inserted between the wires 44 and 40. The conducting covering or lining 43 is in contact with a roll era sliding contact 45 which is in conducting connection with the wire 35 that is connected with the one of the poles of the battery 38a, as has already been mentioned. I

The disk 42 is provided-with as many bores asthere are'electro-magnets 39. These bores are located opposite said magnets and in each thereoi an armature 46 can be shifted. In theirposition of rest, the armatures 46 project on the free surface'oftthe disk 42 and are, therefore,1able to contact with one arm of abell-crank lever 48 which is pivoted at 47,

The lever 48 is subjected to the pull of a helical spring 50which continually tends to turn the lever from the position shown in Fig. 8 in full lines into the position shown therein in dotted lines, viz. in counterclockwise direction. The other end of the bellcrank-lever 48is jointed to a vertically movable abutment member 6?) guided in guidemembers 51. The upper end 01 this member extends between the conveying chain in the same-manner as has been described with respect to Figs. l4al, and the co-operation of the member 66 with the cigarettes is just the same as shown in Figs. 409-4623.

As long as the bell-'crank-lever 48 is retained in the position shown in full lines in Fig. 8by any of'the armatures 46, the abutment member 612 is in its inoperative position, so that the cigarettes can pass away over its upperedge. If, however, the circuit of any now turn the res'pecti-ve-cigarettein the manner already described.

In order to shift the'respective armature back into its former position in which it is again able to lock the bell-cranklever,,thatis1 to say, to turn it from the position shown in dotted lines into that shown in fulllines, a

'member 51, Fig. 10, is provided which is arranged obliquely with respect to the disk 42 and is able to act upon the armature in the ically, that is to say, the keys or other circuitclosing members are actuated automatically. In .Fig. 11, 53 denotes a lever provided atits operating end with a'downwardly-directed feeling member 52. The lever 53 has not a fulcrum proper butis attached to'a lamella 55"consisting of sheet-metal or the like and being secured to an axle 54, from. which the parts 55,53, 52 are suspended. The lamella 55 contacts with'a leaf spring 56 by which it is generally held in vertical position, and there is also provided at thelamella a contact piece 57 whichcan contact with another con- ;act piece 59-a-ffixed to another leaf-spring 58. whichisinsulated from the leaf-spring 56, as shown in the upermost portion of Fig. 11. The leaf-spring58 is connected; by a wire 60 with the one pole'of a battery 61, the other pole of which is connected by' a wire 62 with an eletcroinagnet 63. This latter is connected also with the leaf-spring '56 and as the lamella 55 consists of a conductive material, the circuit will be closed v whenthe contact pieces 57 and 59 come in contact with. one another.

If the cigarettes 4: moved along by the'con- 'veying chain in the direction indicated by the arrow are in their proper position they will pass away below the feeling member'52 and the lever 53 without altering the position of these parts. The cigarettes are in their proper position, if the seam is at the bottom, that is to say, if it islying inthe recess of. the chain-link; but if the. seam is on the other wrong side of the cigarettes, the paper edge will contact with the feeling member 52 and will take it along with it, that is to say, it will draw the lever 53. to the right (Fig: 11) and will thus move also the lamella 55, so that the circuit is closed; by the contact pieces 57 and 59, in consequence of which the electromagnet 63 will be excited.

In front of the free end of the core of' this electromagnet a lever 65 is fulcrumed on a pivot 64. The. lower end of this lever serves as armature and is provided with a projec tion. 650; which'supports the free end of a pawl-like lever 67 supported on a pivot 66;

At one side of. the lever 67 an obliqueprojec msmor tion 68 is provided which when the lever 65 is turned by the electromagnet and when, therefore, the lever 67 is released at 65a gets into .the path of abutment bolts 70, located in a rotary disk or drum .69. There are, in the example shown, four bolts 70 which are distributed in equal distances from one another and each of which is provided with a roll 71 located on that side of the disk or drum. which is counter to the oblique projection 68 of the pawl 67. The normal position of the bolts 70 with the rolls 71 is that of the bolt seen in Fig. 13 on the left side,as well as of the other bolt righthandfrom'it. If

thepawl 67 is in its inoperative position in which its front end is lying upon the projection 650; of the armature lever 65 the inner ends of the abutment bolts 70 which are directed towards the pawl 6'7 move freely onward below the lug 68." As soon, however, as the pawl 67 has been released and has turned on the axle so much that a projection 72 provided at its rear end contacts with an abutment screw 73, the next abutment bolt 70 arriving there as the drum 69 is rotating will be' shifted by the lug 68 and thereby brought into a position in which it gets, during the further rotation of the drum, into a position in which the. roll 71 attached to the front end of the respective. bolt engages a double lever 76 which is turnable on a pivot or axle and one end of which is designed to form an abutment member 74;. This is the end engaged by said roll 71. The other end of thel'ever 76 is connected by a sliding pivot '78, with an abutment ledge 60, the object of which is, as in the last described constructional form of the device, to turn the cigarettes which lie the wrong way into their proper position.

Generally, the upper end of the abutment ledge 60 is in a position in which it does not come in contact with the cigarettes that are moved away over it by the conveying device. Thedouble lever 76 is at this time in contact with an abutment'screw 7 9 located therebelow. As soon, however, as any one of'the abutment bolts which is inits operative position engages the abutment 74 of the double lever 76, this latter is turned on its axle 75 and the abutment ledge 60 is liftedso that it contacts with that cigarette which lies the wrong way, and. is turning it by.180.

' The rotary speed of the disk or drum 69 is in such a-relation with respect to the feeding speed of the conveying chain 1, 2 that that period of time in which the abutment bolt 70 has been moved to the abutment member 74 of the double lever (the. bolt 70 having been moved by the pawl 67 which had been released when the respective circuit was closed) corresponds with that period of time which the cigarette lying the wrong way requires-tojget from the feeling lever 53 to the place in front of the abutment ledge 60.

In order to move the pawl 67 (which had 7' been released when the circuit was closed and the electromagnet excited) bacl'rinto'its'inoperative position after the abutment bolt 70 had been shifted rearwardly, there is, provided upon the axle 80 of the rotating drum 69 a cam disk-81 provided with as many cams 81a as there are abutment bolts 7 0." These f cams co-operate with a roll 83 located at a projection of the pawl 67, the cooperation takin place in this manner that this pawl when eing in its operative position, is lifted,

after the respective abutment bolt has been shifted, as described, to such a height that its front end gets to rest upon the vnosei65a of the armature lever'65. This return-movement of the pawl 67 takes place before the next abutment. member 70 has been moved 2% the curved face or the cam 68 of the pawl "The abutment bolts 70 shifted'forwardly I into operative position by the cam 68 are,

after the reversing device has been actuated moved ba'ckwardly into inoperative position by a roll 85 carried by an arm 8a; in lieu of this roll a curved member of suitable' shape may be used; I a V I wish it to be understood that I do not limit myclaims solely to the details of the several constructional forms shown in the drawing merely by way of example. The reversing device to be operated by the cigarettes lying the wrong way can be actuated,

,instead mechanically or "electrically, also with the aid ofga photo-cell co-operating with electric means for turning-the cigarettes that lay position.

the wrong side into theproper I claim I I I and similarly shaped articles of'manufac ture into packing boxes or? the like, a reversing device for such of the respective articles of manufacture as are laying" the 1. In combination with a conveying device feeding parallel, obliquely located cigarettes vice feeding parallel, obliquely located ciga rettes and 'similarlyshaped articles of manufacture into packing boxes or the like, a, re-

versing device for such of therespective artlcles of manufacture v as are laying the wrong side this devlce comprlsingfa vertically movable abutment member adapted to be moved into the path of the respective articles and to contact with the one edge of the same when inits operative" position; means for thus actuating said member, means for locking this member automatically, and

means attached'to said conveying device and in its operative position, and means for thus actuating each of said abutment members.

In testimony whereof I'afiixmy signature.

7 PAUL GOTTSCHALK; Ingenieur.

- wrong side, this device comprising a vertlcally'movable abutment member adapted to I be moved intothe path of the respective articles and to contact with the one edge of the same when in its operative position, and meansfor thus actuating said member.

' 2. In combination with two conveying chains feeding parallel, obliquely located oigarettes'and similarly shaped articles of manufacture into packing boxes or the like,- a reversing device for such of the respective articles of manufacture as arelaying the wrong-side,'thi s device comprising a vertically movable abutment member adapted to be moved between said chainsinto the path of the respective articles andto contact with the oneedge of the same when in its oper ativeposition, and means for thus actuating saidmemben' 1 1 3. In combination with a' conveying de- 

